Sports Marketing Manager

Responsibilities

• Manage and maintain the U.S. Vibram Team roster by recruiting, signing, and supporting athletes across trail and ultra running, climbing, cycling/mountain biking, and other outdoor sports
• Develop, negotiate, and manage athlete contracts in collaboration with the Vibram legal team.
• Maintain consistent communication with athletes and support their responsibilities to the Vibram brand, including product testing and development, content creation, and brand representation at competitions, events, and clinics.
• Serve as the internal expert on all aspects of sports marketing, providing insights and cross-functional leadership across Marketing, Innovation/Product Development, and Sales teams.
• Collect, organize, and translate athlete and consumer feedback into actionable insights for the Innovation, R&D, Product, and Design teams, creating a structured “field-to-lab” process
• Collaborate with the Testing Team on wear testing, prototype testing, athlete trials, and real-world validation programs, ensuring clear reporting, timelines, and measurable outcomes.
• Partner with the North America Marketing team and Global Brand team to develop sports marketing content for Vibram channels, brand partners, and media outlets.
• Identify competitions, events, and partnership opportunities that elevate Vibram’s brand awareness, adoption, and leadership position within the industry.
• Lead sponsorships and activations for competitions and sponsored events, including UTMB, Natural Selection Tour, International Climbers’ Festival and others.
• Work closely with the Global Sports Marketing team to adapt international processes and tools for the U.S. market while implementing region-specific strategies.
• Create reporting systems and communication tools for major competitions, including top winners, leading brands, post-event reviews, and consumer insights.
• Develop and manage the regional sports marketing budget.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.
• Lead marketing communications with regional brand partners, including The North Face, Crocs, Xero Shoes, Lems, La Sportiva, and Scarpa in partnership with the North America Commercial team.
• Develop seasonal marketing plans and activation strategies for regional partners.
• Coordinate co-marketing initiatives, including product training, content development, media opportunities, and grassroots events.
• Support regional activations for brand and retail partners, including brand education, demo shoe trials, and community engagement initiatives.
• Collaborate with the Global Brand team on social media content and campaigns.
• Provide regular partnership updates across the organization.
• Lead community partnership outreach efforts throughout Boulder and the Rocky Mountain region.

Requirements

• 4–5 years of experience in sports marketing, event planning, or marketing management, preferably within the footwear or outdoor industry.
• Strong industry network, market knowledge, and passion for outdoor sports, including trail running, climbing, cycling/mountain biking, snow sports, and outdoor recreation.
• Deep understanding of athlete communities and how Vibram and its partner products can maximize athlete exposure, product insights, and partner collaboration.
• Strong awareness of athlete and community news, with the ability to share relevant insights internally.
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, or a related field preferred.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with social media content creation, including copywriting and content production.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and basic project management
• Hybrid work environment: 3 days onsite and 2 days remote (subject to change).
• Frequent travel throughout the Rocky Mountain region, with occasional national and international travel (up to 30%).
• Ability to work outdoors in varying conditions, including cold, snow, rain, and heat, while supporting athletes at events, competitions, clinics, and photo/video shoots.
• Occasional evening and weekend event work.
• Ability to lift and move items up to 40 lbs during event setup and activation support.